Premiere: King Woman - "Boghz"
In her video for single, "Morning Star", she, as Lucifer and also an alter ego she created named Ashkar, croons and chants in an empty warehouse, smoking a cigarette and channeling a Joker-like persona. Having created an entire universe in which this project lies, King Woman invites you into a world where you’ll have to confront your sins, your innocence, your weaknesses, and your power alike.
She takes you to another plane, another dimension, and her talent is certainly other worldly.
How are you doing; how’s your overall state?
My overall state is good; I’m a little overwhelmed. I’m starring in a film, so I’m going to work on that and then I fly into the bay area to rehearse with my band. Then I have two record release shows in Los Angeles. But everything’s good, I’m very grateful.
You have a full plate?
Yep.
You have multiple musical projects - What inspired King Woman? The name and the vibe behind it.
I kind of broke away from church or Christianity. I had an experience when I realized how crazy it all was. The name King Woman just came to me and from there I got a band together. It just kind of happened, and it was a way for me to express my frustration and everything I’d been through, and just kind of express myself in general. It was, like, my first avenue of being able to express myself for the first time in a real way and reclaim my power in expression and agency as a human. Because you don’t really get much of that when you’re raised in those kinds of environments. It was my finally having a voice, almost.
So Celestial Blues is your second album under King Woman?
Yeah, so I did a 2-song cassette, a 4-song EP, and then our first LP. So this is our second full length.
How does it differ from the first one?
I had a lot of questions before. I was still working through a lot and trying to find some answers. I was a little bit more angry. In this one, I was able to play with the characters and archetypes that used to kind of control me and scare me. It kind of became this funny thing.
What does this album represent to you?
So many things. It’s about feeling stuck on planet earth, like your wings have been ripped from you and you’re stuck on this prison planet that you don’t want to be on. It’s about feeling uncomfortable in your body, and like your physical appearance doesn’t really match how you feel inside. So many things. But, I guess the main one would be isolation and the feeling that you don’t belong somewhere.
Where did you record Celestial Blues?
I recorded it in Oakland, California with Jack Shirley at Atomic Garden Studios.
Did it have a very different creative process to your last LP?
Our last LP was also recorded with Jack, but Jack built a new massive studio. We also had a lineup change. We lost a guitarist, so Pete was playing bass and guitar. But for some reason, this time it felt a lot less stressful. It had a lot more of a flow and a lot more grace around it. Last time was a little more difficult.
Right, which probably comes from having a little more experience.
Totally.
So tell me about this single, "Boghz".
It’s kind of a song about how love can be a war. Trying to fight for love with a person who doesn’t really know what that means and doesn’t know how to treat you. Just doing a lot and feeling like you’re giving to a black hole, essentially, and just being deceived and getting lost in someone’s arms who doesn’t have your best interest at heart.
What does the title mean?
It’s Farci. It’s kind of hard to translate, but it’s more of a feeling. Like a longing, or a pain in you that’s beyond words. It’s indescribable, I don’t really know how to translate it. It’s more a feeling.
That’s really heavy. How is the song sonically?
I don’t know, I was kind of going for a vibe of one of my favorite bands Power Trip - I’m wearing their shirt right now. It just kind of came out how it did, though.
What themes are you exploring in the album as a whole?
It’s about the unification of all these aspects of yourself. The dark and the light. Fusing them together as one.
What inspired the cover art? It’s a very jarring image of you, very drastic, dramatic makeup —
Are you talking about the wings ripped out or the face?
The face.
Well, it’s from the video I did for "Morning Star," where I’m Lucifer, but, for me, it also represents going through experiences in life that take your soul into hell. And you come out on the other end of the experience kind of crooked, or a little bit off and a little not right in the head. Coming out on the other end as a Joker type character.
I changed Lucifer into this Joker, this androgynous character called Ashkar, who’s just like this menacing scapegoat. I kind of do things before I realize what I’m fully doing, so I’m still uncovering what it means to me. But it’s been a funny response; People are like, What the fuck is this?
And then the back is just me as Lucifer or Ashkar with my wings ripped out. I’m stuck on Planet Earth and I have the cigarette, ‘cause I’m just, like, Fuck it. But, I'm still figuring out what it means.
What can people look forward to seeing from you?
I have a few shows in Oakland, New York, and L.A. Just performing the new songs live. We haven’t performed in a few years, so I think everyone will be really excited to gather together and get out some expression and emotion. Connecting again.
